Exemplary embodiments herein generally relate to a sensor coupler. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an assembly associated with a sensor coupler for securing a vehicle wire harness to the sensor coupler, the assembly allowing the wire harness to be properly positioned relative to the installed sensor.
Generally, an electrical wire harness is secured to a sensor using a coupler which is operably connected to an end portion of the sensor. Some sensors are mounted in such a way that the final rotational position of the coupler after assembly is always the same. However, as depicted in FIGS. 1-3, the final orientation of a coupler 100 for a vehicle screw-in sensor 102 is difficult to ascertain. As shown, a threaded portion 104 of the screw-in sensor 102 is threadingly engaged in an opening 110 provided in a wall 112 of a first vehicle component or first structure 114. The first vehicle component 114 is located near a second vehicle component or second structure 118. A vehicle wire harness 120 is positioned between the first and second vehicle components 114, 118, and has an end portion 122 securely received in an end 124 of the coupler 100.
To prevent the wire harness 120 from contacting the second vehicle component 118, the wire harness 120 is typically fixedly secured to the coupler 100 via an attachment means, such as the illustrated strap 130. As depicted in FIG. 2, the strap 130 attaches a portion 132 of the wire harness 120 to an outside surface 134 of the coupler 100. With this strap 130, the wire harness 120 does not engage the second vehicle component 118. For the screw-in sensor 102, because the coupler 100 is fixed to the sensor 102, the coupler rotates with the sensor 102 as the sensor 102 is being threaded into the opening 110 provided in the first vehicle component 114. Thus, the orientation of the coupler 100 as the sensor 102 is being secured to the first vehicle component 114 is not controlled. This can cause the wire harness 120, which is typically secured to the coupler 100 prior to attachment of the sensor 102 to the first vehicle component 114, to rotate with the coupler. As such, the wire harness 120 becomes too tight. As a result, and as shown in FIG. 3, the portion 132 of the wire harness 120 attached to the coupler 100 is rotated away from the second vehicle component 118 and the wire harness 120 is stretched across the wall 112 of the first vehicle component 114. This stretching of the wire harness 120 can cause the end portion 122 to disengage from the coupler 100.
With reference to FIG. 4, one known solution to prevent this tightening of the wire harness 120 due to the rotation of the coupler 100 is to provide a separate bracket 140. The bracket 140 is mounted to the wall 112 of the first vehicle component 114 above the coupler 100 via a fastener 142. The wire harness 120 is then mounted to the bracket 140 via a conventional clip 144. However, this solution for controlling the position of the wire harness 120 relative to the coupler 100 as the screw-in sensor 102 is being attached to the first vehicle component 114 adds additional parts and cost to the vehicle.